Blue Sky Flower
by hoyteca
Summary: Unable to return to the slowly-recovering Earth, Ted has to adapt to life on Pandora. Early chapters are tame, but later chapters will get a little inappropriate for younger readers.
1. Chapter 1

Pandora. The deadliest world inhabitable. It was like a rose with toxic thorns or a beautiful tiger chasing after you, Ted thought.

This was his home now. Today, he was going to be transferred into his avatar. He was nervous, since nothing in life was cheap. His childhood could best be described as… eventful. It was impossible to decipher what actually happened and what was just a vivid nightmare inspired by his life. His brief job as a baker ended when faulty wiring burned down the bakery. He had a brief job working for the RDA. On the second day, the company "dissolved", returning him to the unemployment line.

This would be different, he thought. Nothing would go wrong, outside maybe a cut or a prank. It would be uneventful. It was naïve, but this insane level of optimism was the only thing keeping Ted from firing a bullet into his brain.

After a brief safety talk, Ted walked to the lab and entered his link chamber. He was told there was a problem with his avatar, but was assured it was nothing they couldn't fix. He relaxed and let his mind transfer into his new body.

A problem arose and technicians scrambled to find and fix the problem. They worked tirelessly, but to no avail. There was no way Ted was ever returning home.


	2. Chapter 2

Ted awoke inside what looked like an emergency room. He was in a hospital gown and surrounded by the best medics the task force could afford. Ted knew something was wrong. He could feel it, but he couldn't let it distract him from his mission.

Earth was improving, but they needed to know how to keep the recovery going. The task force wasn't just a bunch of soldiers, mechanics, and whatever expendable people they could scrape up. They were all scientists, mostly amateur, tasked with learning all that they could. They had to learn how to work with nature, how to use the earth without abusing it. That meant peace with the natives, which meant avatars.

The dread built up inside Ted's stomach until he couldn't take it anymore. He reached behind his head for the emergency shut-off "switch". He kept searching, pressing and squeezing every inch of his head until he realized what his gut was warning him. He was stuck.

He wasn't supposed to be one of the permanent avatars. He was supposed to stay on Pandora for a few years and then return home. He signed up for a temporary avatar body. He trained for it. He was supposed to eventually return to the safety of his home planet.

Ted then realized he had a second problem. His avatar body was too young. Unlike temporary bodies that can be grown on the way to Pandora and then used right away, permanent avatars grew much more slowly. They were designed for decades of continuous use and couldn't be rushed.

This led to a third problem. An avatar body this young has a very undeveloped brain. Ted's mind was quickly degrading as his new brain tried to cope with Ted's decades of experience and education. Math want first as Ted forgot his calculus, statistics, geometry, and algebra. Language went second as Ted forgot the majority of his extensive vocabulary. He forgot history and science not too long afterwards. Before long, he was just your average seven year old. Except for one thing.

The memories. Those disturbing, painful memories of a past he had escaped. He remembered the pain. He remembered the nightmares. He remembered her.

Ted began to panic again. Why couldn't that stay forgotten? There's no way she could have followed him here.

Ted's stress levels grew, prompting a medic to pull out a syringe.

"It's just a relaxant." the medic reassured Ted, but Ted didn't respond. In his panicked state, he stared at the needle. He remembered how the torture often started with a needle. He remembered how she would inject various drugs into his system. Some would make him sleep. Some would make his skin burn. Some would merely take away his ability to move or scream while she got to work.

Ted flinched, suppressing an urge to scream or flee as the medic injected the drug into his arm.

"How are you feeling?" the medic asked.

"Why did you do that?" Ted asked, struggling to maintain consciousness.

"There are a few problems with your body." the medic explained, "There's been an accidental complete transfer from your old body to this one. We're working on the problem, but it doesn't look solvable."

"What am I going to do? I can't stay like this forever."

"It is growing." the medic reassured him, "It is developing. It's not going to degrade as fast as your standard avatar, so there's no need to worry."

"I'm seven again." Ted told the medic, "I forgot most of my education and I now remember things I wish I didn't. I have plenty to worry about."

"I'm going to arrange a meeting for you with the base councilor. Until then, stay in the avatar areas and don't go into the jungle."

"Why would I go out into the jungle?"

"You're practically seven again." the medic explained, "Your new brain is far from fully developed and na'vi are instinctively repulsed by the unnatural smells and sounds here. We're going to have to run a few tests to find out how much sway your human mind and genetics have over your new brain."

"I didn't sign up for this." Ted sighed, "This was supposed to be my second chance at a normal life. I spend a few years here and then return home and live off of the money I make here until I can find another job to pay the bills. What am I going to do now?"

"Save it for the councilor." the medic told Ted, "Don't freak out again. I'm trained to fix bodies, not brains."

"Easy for you to tell me." Ted growled, "You didn't have someone else's screw up take away your second chance at a normal life. You don't have to suffer through the nightmares."

Ted got off the table and left the makeshift hospital. Engineers were still scrambling to repair the extensive damage left from the RDA's botched attempt at retaking Hell's Gate. Soldiers guarded the massive holes in the walls on foot an in makeshift tanks. Most of the avatar buildings were either burned down by illegal napalm bombs or leveled by an extensive bombing campaign. Nearby, a team of avatars were being loaded into helicopters in an attempt to negotiate a more permanent peace with the natives.

Ted decided to play a quick game of basketball with a few of the off-duty human soldiers. One game turned to ten and then twenty. The soldiers were impressed with Ted's energy and skill. After the twenty-third game was finished, a guard approached.

"The councilor wishes to see you, Ted." the guard told him, "He'll be in the main building, room 24."

Ted sighed and waved goodbye to his acquaintances. He made it to the main building, one of the few buildings to have survived the RDA's attack with minimal damage. He walked in a side entrance and made his way to the open door to room 24.

"Come in, Mr. Willis. Close the door and take a seat."

Ted reluctantly complied, sitting on a blue leather chair.

"I'm sure you know why you're here." the councilor began, "A lot has happened today and we'd like you to get the help you need."

"I've had a rough day." Ted agreed.

"You can say that again. Permanently transferred into a premature avatar would be pretty stressful for anyone. The problem's probably not as big as we fear, but that's what we said about Mr. Doe. We had to cremate a dozen people that day."

"This was supposed to be my second chance." Ted told the councilor, "It was simple. Spend a few years here and then return home with a nice big paycheck. I'd live off that money until I found a new job. Then I'd live happily ever after in a warm home with food on the table every day. But that's not the worst part. The worst part is the nightmares are back and they're invading my head during the day. I see her, councilor."

"You see who?" the councilor asked, worried Ted's situation might be worse than she thought.

"I can feel her nails. I can hear her laughs and her moans. Even after all these years, she's still tormenting me."

"I'm going to recommend therapy sessions." the councilor told him, "One session a week."

"I guess I'll see you next week…"

"We're not done. Now, this person in your nightmares. Who is she?"

"I don't have a name." Ted told the councilor, "I have a hard time remembering what really happened all those years ago and what were just bad dreams."

"What would she do?"

"She'd insult me. Then she'd hit me. Sometimes she'd burn me with a coat hanger she heated on her stove. Sometimes she'd hold a plastic bag over my head and would wait until I was almost unconscious before removing it. I tried to fight back, but I was so little. There's no way a five year old can fight off a grown woman."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"Yes." Ted sighed, "I told my mom and she didn't believe me. She told me to stop making up stories. It wasn't until I told my dad when he returned from the war that the woman went away. It's why my parents separated."

"It can be tough. I've spoken to quite a few people who went through similar ordeals. There were some similar themes. They'd take the abuse for months or even years before telling someone. They'd be accused of lying. The abuse only stopped when the abuser went away. Maybe the abuser found another target to focus on. Maybe the abuser went to jail or was shot. The thing is, you're not alone. I have experience helping victims overcome issues related to the abuse, whether it's nightmares or destructive coping mechanisms. I can help."

"I guess so. Plus, there's also meds."

"That's true." the councilor agreed, "Let's save meds for plan b. Plan a is a series of sessions where we work together to overcome your nightmares. That's it for today. I'll see you Monday at 10 AM."

"Monday at 10. Got it."

Ted left the room in an upbeat mood. He had help now. Help on earth was too expensive. Maybe coming to Pandora wasn't such a big mistake after all. As he left the building, he thought he saw someone familiar walk past.

"It couldn't be." he told himself.

He took a deep breath and began walking to his designated quarters. He wouldn't start his new job until tomorrow and it was unlikely he would be allowed to patrol in his current condition. About halfway to his quarters, he stopped.

His gut was telling him it was her he saw. He wouldn't be surprised anymore. His whole life felt like the result of a bored god of mischief. Every time he was close to succeeding, something always came along to ruin it.

"She probably doesn't recognize you." he reassured himself, "It's been how many years? Plus, you're in your avatar body. She wouldn't be able to do anything to you anyway. Too many witnesses and if you deviate from your schedule, they'll start looking for you."

He continued to his quarters and slept until morning.

The second day started okay. He was assigned guard duty with a Ms. Cagadatero. Strange name, he thought. She was operating a newer model of amp suits, so he couldn't really see her too well through the thick plastic window.

"What's your story?" she asked when they reached their post.

"What do you mean?" Ted asked.

"Why are you on Pandora in an underdeveloped avatar?" she elaborated, "Are you hoping the natives don't have the heart to kill a child?"

"Somebody screwed up." Ted answered, "I was supposed to be in a temporary avatar. Somehow, I ended up in a permanent one. As for why I'm here, I needed a fresh start. Most of all, I needed to get away from her."

"You needed to get away from who?" Ms. Cagadatero inquired.

"I don't want to talk about it."

The two didn't talk while they scanned the area for threats. They scanned the area for viperwolves, thanators, and whatever leftover forces the RDA may have left behind. It was boring, yet Ted couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that grew in his gut.

It was too quiet. The sounds of the wildlife had died down. He focused on trying to find a sound, any sound, but couldn't. No wildlife. No wind. Not even human or avatar activity.

It was probably just his mind. He was on a foreign world under stressful circumstances. The only other time he lost auditory awareness of his surroundings was when she was alone with him.

His gut was telling him to run. His mind screamed at him to get away.

"You okay?" Mss. Cagadatero asked.

Ted didn't answer. His mind was too busy trying to stay in control of itself and his body. They shouldn't have given him guard duty. They shouldn't even have shipped him to Pandora.

"You're not freaking out on me, are you, kid?"

Kid. Just like she used to call him. It was more than just a mere common noun to her. It was a pet name she had given him when she had gotten more sinister and more… intimate.

Ted felt trapped. Whether it was the flashback he was on the verge of having or the na'vi blood that filled his body, he wanted out of Hell's Gate and away from anything that could remind him of his life so far. Why did the jungle have to look so inviting? He could feel something inside his mind compelling him to venture out into Pandora's dangerous beauty. To others, the jungle looked like death itself. To Ted, it was freedom.

Unauthorized exiting of Hell's Gate was forbidden for a reason, Ted silently reminded himself. He knew he had problems and shouldn't be on guard duty. He had what he assumed was PTSD and was permanently stuck in the body of a seven year old. The only reason he was stuck at this post was because the RDA left much of the place in ruins, forcing most of the soldiers into reconstruction work.

"Don't tell me I'm going to have to watch you too, kid."

It couldn't be her, could it? Was Cagadatero just a pseudonym? Quite a few of the guards were volunteers. Ted dismissed those ideas as just coincidences. Who cares if this sector's cameras were still offline? It couldn't be her.

Could it?

Ted grew increasingly paranoid. Ms. Cagadatero was bringing up memories best left forgotten. She gave off this vibe that made Ted feel uneasy.

"You're not going to cry on me, are you, kid?"

Ted hoped not. She always asked that despite the fact that she loved seeing him cry. False concern was just part of her mind games. He had to get away from Ms. Cagadatero, but where could he go? The others would just have him locked up until they could find the right meds to shove down his throat. The jungle was just one big death trap.

"Do you need to lie down, kid?"

She always said that before she…

Ted's gut screamed at him to run while his mind wanted to wait and see before reacting. It could all be a coincidence. After all, he was technically a kid again and he was visibly on the verge of panic. And if it was her, she wouldn't dare do it here. That kind of person would be chained to a tree deep in the forest for whatever hungry predator just happened to walk by.

"Calm down, kid."

Another line she often said.

"Relax while I call some help over, kid."

She often said that when she was done since she knew no one would believe him over her. She was the girl next door. He was the boy that couldn't get the help he needed. His cries for help were mistaken for pleas from a tortured and confused soul.

He couldn't get locked in a cell again. He wasn't crazy. Well, he was technically a different kind of crazy. If it was her, he was definitely in trouble.

He observed her. She was watching him. He weighed his options. Staying meant more of the same. He could stay here and slowly grow increasingly insane. The jungle had freedom. Avatars still retained quite a few of the Na'vis' survival instincts, so finding food shouldn't be too much of a problem. The jungle's call grew increasingly louder in his mind and he began to recognize its voice.

Eywa. It was probably the Avatar Development Team's multiple screw-ups taking a toll on his undeveloped brain, but he could recognize Eywa's voice. It was soothing. It was the mother of Pandora's life calling for him.

Ted waited for the perfect opportunity. If Ms. Cagadatero was who Ted suspected she was, she clearly underestimated him. His new body was fast and agile. Her Amp suit would be too much of a hindrance in the dense foliage and he knew she wanted him alive, so her gun was a non-issue. All he needed was one slipup. He watched and waited. He needed an opportunity. It came from an unexpected source.

Three guards approached the pair. Guards always worked on the buddy system and the third was his replacement. Ms. Cagadatero likely called them. Fortunately, none of them were avatars. Perfect. He waited until she was distracted talking to one of the guards before making a break for the jungle.

The guards and Ms. Cagadatero gave chase, but they couldn't keep up. It sounded like they were turning back, likely to start a search party. Ted ran to wherever the jungle led him. He ran for hours until his legs were too tired to continue. Then Ted realized what his new problem was.

He had nowhere to go. The Na'vi distrusted the avatars, but none of the other avatars were this underdeveloped. Would they take pity on him? No doubt, there was plenty to pity.

It didn't matter. For the first time in his life, everything felt right. He felt like he had accomplished his life's goal and could die happy. He also felt Eywa's presence. It was like a mother's loving embrace welcoming home her missing child.

He felt a sudden burst of energy. He had to keep moving. The search party would most likely contain avatars that could easily traverse this hostile world. He couldn't rest here, so he continued to wander through the jungle. He had to protect his new freedom.

His wandering wasn't completely aimless. He felt Eywa's mysterious influence drawing him closer to a particular place. It took hours of aimless wandering before he found his destination.

It wasn't particularly special, but night grew closer. Ted collapsed from hunger and exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep. He had a short dream. He dreamt he was with his parents. He was a human child again and he wasn't being tormented by her. For the first time in his life, Ted was happy.


	3. Chapter 3

Ted woke up to the sound of footsteps approaching. He stood up and silently ran behind a tree. He watched a pair of na'vi hunters approach, seemingly unaware of his presence.

"Are you sure Eywa wants us to be here?" the male asked, "I don't see anything."

"Knowing your loud feet, whatever we're supposed to find is probably hiding now." the female complained, "Shut up and look."

The male reluctantly obliged. Ted silently watched as the pair searched where he had slept. He knew he couldn't hide forever. They'd find him eventually if he stayed and they'd hear him if he ran. Part of him urged him to surrender and hope for the best. What's the worst that could happen? Would a toxic spear to the heart be worse than being torn apart by viperwolves or a thanators?

Not far behind, Ted heard familiar sounds. Amp suit steps and helicopter blades. He had almost forgotten about the search. He didn't want to get sent back. He knew he'd be locked up as a danger to himself. They'd also likely try to get him back into his old body, possibly killing both bodies in the process.

"Hurry up and find it." the female growled, "Whatever it is, I don't want the Tawtutes to get it."

"We sent the Tawtute back twice." the male growled back, "We can take on any Tawtute that wanders close."

Ted was grateful he was taught Na'vi shortly before being shipped to Pandora. He could hear what they were saying and react accordingly. How would they react if he was found? He was an avatar, but he was also small and looked more Na'vi-like than most avatars.

"Someone was sleeping here." the male announced, "It's still pretty warm. Whoever was here must still be near."

"Who would sleep way out here?" the female wondered aloud, "Even the Tawtute aren't insane enough to sleep so far from their clan."

"It was either a Tawtute or a child." the male said after measuring the disturbed area with his arms.

"I stand corrected." the female conceded, "Maybe they are crazy enough to sleep so far from their clan. Why would they come back if they didn't want to die?"

"Should we kill the Tawtute or trade it with the other sky people for something nice?"

The pair were coming uncomfortably close to Ted. He was left with two options. He could go with the pair and become a hostage when they counted his fingers or run away and die in the crossfire when the pair encountered the search party.

"What do we have here?" the male asked as he approached the tree Ted was hiding behind, "Whoever you are, come on out before we preserve your head as a war trophy."

Ted froze, unsure if it was wiser to obey the command or to make a run for it.

"You're taking too long." the female complained, "The Tawtute are getting too close for my liking."

"I think it's a child." the male said as he reached to grab Ted, "He's dressed like a Tawtute. Do dreamwalkers make babies?"

"Where else do their false bodies come from?" the female asked, "Do you think they just make them in really big jars?"

"What if it's not a normal dreamwalker?" the male wondered out loud, "What if this one doesn't have a tawtute controlling him?"

"Grab him and find out." the female growled with impatience, "Hurry up. We can find out if he's a dreamwalker or not back home. He's trespassing anyway."

"Don't talk that way about Atan'eko." the male yelled.

"You named him?" the female was shocked. Why would he name a dreamwalker child? Dreamwalkers were the enemy, worthy of a quick death and little else.

"He's a lost child in the middle of the forest." the male pointed out, "We were drawn here for a reason. Maybe Eywa drew us here to find this lost child."

"We're not going to hurt you." the female assured Ted, "Come on out before we change our minds."

Ted backed away from the pair, trying to find something to hold them off. Maybe being locked up wouldn't be so bad. Then again, the two na'vi seemed nice. Plus, if he went with them, he wouldn't risk being left alone with her.

That was reason enough for Ted. Reluctantly, he came out of hiding.

"He's so cute." the female told the male, "Let's keep him."

"What about his parents?" the male asked, "We'll have to return him, maybe."

"He has too many fingers to be na'vi." the female countered, "I say we keep him. If his dreamwalker parents complain, we kill them. That is, assuming dreamwalkers have parents. Who knows how those things are born."

"Alright." the male conceded, "That's the last time I try to be the mature one by wanting to return a child to his parents instead of keeping him. Why do people want to be mature? It's just one big inconvenience after another. Maybe the Tawtute tried to be mature too much and it drove them all insane. That's why they're so eager to kill and destroy. I know it's making me want to destroy things. I swear if I don't do something immature soon…"

"What do you say, Atan'eko?" the female, ignoring the male's rant, asked Ted, "Do you want to come with us or do we have to drag you like a fresh kill?"

"My name's Ted." Ted pointed out.

"That's your dreamwalker name." the male told him, "For now on, your name is Atan'eko. We'll probably have to find a way to keep your soul in this body."

"You don't have to worry about that." Ted told him, "They screwed something up, so I'm stuck in this body."

"That's great, I think. Now we just have to get all that sky people poison out of your head."

The pair grabbed Ted's hands, leading him to Hometree.

"Where are we going?", Ted asked.

"You're going home with Mommy Tarya and Daddy Tzmukan." the female, Tarya, answered, "But not today. For now, we're stuck with the Omatikaya, trading and stuff."

"Stuck?" Tzmukan scoffed, offended, "That's my home you're insulting."

"I need the sea." Tarya told him, "This jungle is so confining. I need the wide open sea to make me feel free."

"You're lucky I agreed to join your clan." Tzmukan growled.

"You don't have any friends." Tarya pointed out, "By joining my clan, you'll be with a loving mate who gladly wraps her mouth around…"

"We have a child with us." Tzmukan interrupted, "You can save the details for when he's courting a potential mate."

Ted, now Atan'eko, tried his best to keep the unwelcome images out of his head.

"What were you two doing way out here anyway?" Atan'eko asked.

"We both shared a dream commanding us to come here." Tarya explained, "When we woke, we kept getting subtle hints to come out here and find you."

"Eywa's bossy." Tzmukan added, "When she wants you to do something, you do it. One guy was commanded by Eywa to go to this one place. I forget where. When he refused, Eywa sent a palulukan after him. I think he got eaten."

"That was Jakesully." Tarya pointed out, "He didn't get eaten. Eywa made him become Toruk Makto, defeat the sky people, and live happily ever after… or else."

"She was really insistent on the 'happily' part." Tzmukan added, "Like I said, bossy. But I'm glad she made us find you… or else."

"Me too." Tarya told Atan'eko, "She may be bossy, but Eywa really does know best… or else."

-Hell's Gate-

Back in Hell's Gate, Ted's old body was slowly approaching consciousness.

"What's happening?" a technician asked as a doctor scrambled to Ted's old body.

"This is really remarkable." the doctor told the technician excitedly, "It's truly a miracle. His old body should have been brain dead after he unintentionally transferred into his avatar."

"What are you talking about, Dr. Franklin?"

"He's waking up." Dr. Franklin explained, "He should be dead from the neck up."

"If he transferred into his avatar permanently, will this body become a zombie?"

"The brain appears to be undamaged. Unless the scans missed something, it should be like he never transferred from his human body."

Ted's old body stirred before opening its eyes.

"What happened?" human Ted asked, "I remember linking up and then nothing."

"There was a mix-up." Dr. Franklin explained, "Long story short, you won't have an avatar in the foreseeable future."

"As long as I still get paid for coming to this hellhole, I don't mind." human Ted said, "I was never really excited about joining the Avatar program. It must be a pain in the ass having to take care of two bodies. You'd also have to live two lives. Seems like too much work."

"Should we tell him?" the technician asked.

"Tell me what?" human Ted demanded.

"Not now." Dr. Franklin told the technician, "We'll have to keep him under observation for another day or two. Plus, he had childhood trauma related to a woman."

"Who told you about that?" human Ted demanded.

"We really shouldn't tell him until his current problems are under control." Dr. Franklin continued, "Not sure how someone like him makes it to Pandora, let alone allowed to pilot an avatar."

"Will somebody please fill me in!" Ted demanded, "This stuff sounds like things I really should know."

"Let's just say that although you won't be able to link with your avatar, it won't be going to waste." Dr. Franklin explained.

"Is someone else using my avatar?" Ted asked, "Is that even possible. I guess the scientists pulled some of their black magic incase an avatar driver couldn't handle the job. Who's the sucker using my avatar?"

"It's hard to explain." Dr. Franklin told Ted, "We're not sure how it happened."

"How what happened?"

"We'll tell you later. Right now, just focus on resting. If everything appears normal, you'll be back to work tomorrow."

Ted sighed, realizing he won't be getting any answers for a while. He turned on the television and tried to find something interesting to watch. Most of the channels featured earth shows cancelled years ago. A few were news channels showing updates on whatever was happening around Hell's Gate. Apparently, some sucker was permanently transferred into a premature avatar. The poor guy was shown panicking, running off into the jungle when guards approached. Ted figured the avatar brain must have had a few faulty connections, rendering him completely insane.

"Who's the guy trapped in the premature avatar?" Ted asked Dr. Franklin, "The news guy doesn't seem to want to tell us."

"It's complicated." Dr. Franklin told Ted, "Nobody really understands how it happened and you have to wonder if the avatar is really the same guy or someone different now. They're not sure how much of his mind is still human and how much is simply the result of the na'vi genetic material."

"Can you at least give me a name?" Ted asked, "There are a few people I met in avatar training, acquaintances really, and I have to know if one of them is that avatar."

"Like I said, complicated." Dr. Franklin told him, "There are a few factors to consider and I can't really give you an answer you could understand without giving you a lot of background information about what likely happened, how it might have happened, and what's probably still happening. So no. I can't give you a name."

Ted sighed in frustration. The doctor either knew something he didn't want to share with Ted or he was dancing around the fact he really didn't know who it was.

"Maybe I can get some answers from someone else." he told himself. He relaxed in his hospital bed and found a nature channel. Answers would have to wait until tomorrow.

-Forest-

Atan'eko was riding on a captured direhorse with his new "mother" when a question entered Tarya's mind.

"Why were you sleeping so far away from any clan or tawtute settlement?" she asked.

"It's a long story." Atan'eko told her.

"We have quite some time before we reach the hometree." Tarya pointed out, "I'm just a little curious."

"I was put in charge of guarding a big hole in the fence created by the RDA." Atan'eko explained, trying to stick to terms she might understand better, "The RDA is basically the 'clan' of sky people that destroyed the Omatikaya's hometree. Their 'clan' and my 'clan' fought a few big battles. The RDA took a lot of new territory on earth, the sky people home world, while my clan got the right to take the sky people settlement here. Anyway, sky people rules say guards must work in pairs incase something happens to one of them. My partner was a human woman in an Amp suit, a metal walker. She looked and talked like a bad woman I knew from my childhood, so I panicked and ran. I could feel a presence, I'm guessing it was Eywa, guiding me to the spot where you found me. Then I went to sleep and was woken up by your footsteps."

"So, you're really a dreamwalker?" Tarya asked, "But you don't have a tawtute body anymore?"

"Like I said earlier, someone made a mistake." Atan'eko told her, "I'm stuck in this child body."

"That's good." Tarya grinned, "It means you're our child now. You look about four or five years old. Maybe three."

"I guessed seven. It's really hard to tell when you're used to sky people and have no idea how big na'vi children are."

"You're smart for a child." complimented Tarya, "Or at least you know a lot of words."

"I'm getting dumber." Atan'eko told her, "When I was first transferred, I had all my human knowledge. Since this body was so 'young', it couldn't handle so much stuff. It got rid of a lot of knowledge it didn't want. Do I really look that young?"

"Grace said tawtute babies are born really small." Tarya explained, "Na'vi babies are born bigger, but grow slower. They learn to walk and talk soon, but they don't stop growing for a long time. You'll be our child for a long time. You'll have a baby brother or sister in a few months."

"I never thought I'd be going through childhood again." Atan'eko thought out loud, "There was school and bullying. I'm also not looking forward to a second puberty."

"You don't have to go to school." Tarya assured him, "I'm not even sure if the sky people will set up a school close enough to our clan. What's 'puberty'?"

"Sky person term." Atan'eko explained, quickly realizing he had accidentally used an 'inglisi' term, "It's when a child's body goes through a series of changes as it prepares for adulthood. In human men, it means hair in new places, deeper voices, rapid growth, and new 'appreciation' for the female body."

"Na'vi have something similar, except without the hair part. I'm hoping your tawtute heritage won't mean hair in weird places."

"I'm surprised I still remembered puberty." Atan'eko admitted, "Give it time, though, and I'll forget even that."

"Maybe it's for the best." Tarya suggested, "You're practically a baby and babies don't need to know the more personal ways mommies and daddies make each other happy. It's gross."

"I was an adult once." Atan'eko pointed out, "I think I can handle it."

"Please just be a normal baby." Tarya pleaded, "We'll take care of you. We'll raise you to be a great hunter or fisherman or singer or whatever you wind up being. Just please let your brain forget about 'puberty' and the more physical forms of love."

"I'd rather forget about her." Atan'eko thought out loud.

"Forget about who?"

"A bad woman. When I was a child, she loved to hurt me. It made her happy, especially down there in the loin cloth region."

"If she comes to our village, I'll kill her personally." Tarya growled, "Nobody hurts my baby and lives. It's one of the few crimes we execute people for."

"She disappeared after my father returned from the war." Atan'eko added, "She was supposed to get sent to jail, but she had money and connections. She was friends with some powerful people, so she might still be out there. I thought I saw her back at Hell's Gate, but I think it was just my mind playing tricks on me."

"You're safe now. You're protected by one of the finest warriors on Pandora, her idiot mate, and your new clan. If she comes, we'll kill her."

"That might just start a war…"

"If she's a dreamwalker, we'll slow cook both bodies alive. We'll peel their skins for leather beforehand. This might be my chance to use my killing skills on someone who deserves it."

"You don't have to worry about her trying something." Atan'eko told her, trying to calm her frightening bloodlust, "She was a coward. Please, don't start a war over me. I already lost one mother because of that woman."

"Don't worry about mommy." Tarya told him, "If my energy's returned to Eywa, I'll just come back as a spirit."

"I'd rather you not get hurt or killed."

"It's sweet you care so much about your mother. You're such a good baby."

"Please stop calling me a baby."

"Don't push your luck." Tarya warned, "I've been waiting a long time for a baby. Now stop complaining before I stop this pali so I can spank you."

"All I wanted was…"

"I know which type of branches inflict the most pain." Tarya growled, "I will not let you ruin this for me. You're lucky I don't strike the tawtute out of you."

"I'll be good."

"I'll have to ask Eywa to wash all that corruption out of your mind."

Atan'eko frowned. Part of him wanted to finish his transformation into a na'vi child and enjoy his new family. Another part still wanted to hold onto all those years of experience he acquired. He knew which side was winning and he wasn't sure if he liked or hated it. Tarya wasn't really helping matters much.

Before long, they made it to Hometree.


	4. Chapter 4

"Just stick to the story." Tarya ordered Atan'eko, "You're a baby dreamwalker whose parents are dead."

"Can't I just tell them the truth?" Atan'eko asked, "I'm sure Jake would understand, since he is technically a dreamwalker too."

"Jake is a skxawng." Tzmukan told Atan'eko, "Plus, he's suspicious of other dreamwalkers. He wouldn't understand and he has the authority to kill you."

"I'm sure he'd understand if we simply explained the whole thing." Atan'eko reasoned.

"You really don't know who we're talking about here." Tzmukan countered, "Jake is a skxawng. Would you rather be taken back to the sky people clan to play with that bad woman?"

"I suppose the story's technically true." Atan'eko sighed.

"Eywa wants you to be with us." Tarya assured him, "She wants you to have the healthy childhood you were deprived of on your home world… or else. She wants you to be happy… or else."

"I had everything sorted out until the whole permanent avatar thing." Atan'eko argued, "I could have done without a second childhood."

"Childhood is life's foundation." Tarya countered, "It's when you learn how to be a healthy, decent person. You need a healthy childhood, even if Eywa has to scrub your mind clean of all that Tawtute poison."

"Who's this?" a na'vi woman asked as she examined Atan'eko, "Where did you find him."

"Forest." Tzmukan answered, "His parents are with Eywa and he was hunted down by a woman even the sky people found crazy and evil."

"He looks like a dreamwalker." she commented.

"Eywa's will." Tarya told her, "Their fake bodies gave birth to him. From what he remembers, the evil woman may be responsible for his parents' demise."

"Eywa's will?" the woman asked, unconvinced.

"We had dreams where we were raising a son identical to him." explained Tarya, "When we hunted in the forest, we could feel her influence guiding us to him. Eywa wants us to adopt him and to keep him safe from a woman the other Tawtute fear and hate."

"Dreamwalker or not, I can't suspect a child of anything bad." the woman admitted, "I know Jakesully would love him as much as he loves all the other children."

"We may have to hide him from the Toruk Makto." Tarya joked, "Otherwise he might adopt Atan'eko as his son."

"So you have named him." the woman commented, "It usually takes couples at least a few days to agree on a name."

"Tzmukan named him." Tarya corrected, "To be honest, his mind's been a little corrupted by the Tawtute. Don't be surprised if he says or does anything strange."

"I understand." the woman assured Tarya, "Children often mimic not only their parents, but also other members of their clan. A little time away from their corruption will do little Atan'eko some good."

"Can we go now?" Atan'eko asked impatiently.

"You better learn some patience." Tarya warned.

"He's being hunted down by an evil woman." Tzmukan reminded Tarya, "I'd be worried too if I was being hunted by the worst the Tawtute had to offer. She might even have a metal walker or a dreamwalker body. Who knows what she'd do to him after having all that time to plan and prepare."

Atan'eko regretted opening his mouth now that the memories flooded his mind again.

"I have to go." Tarya told him, "Be a good boy and listen to your father. Bye sweetie."

Atan'eko moved closer to Tzmukan, trying desperately to hold back his tears. Sensing his distress, Tzmukan picked up Atan'eko.

"It's alright." Tzmukan assured him, "Daddy's not going to let that evil woman hurt you again."

"I want to forget." Atan'eko told him, tears slowly flowing from his eyes, "Before, the memories weren't as bad. Now they are painful."

"I understand." Tzmukan told him, "It must be hard reliving the worst days of your life."

"I forgot memories of what helped me." Atan'eko continued, "I forgot most of what I learned. I forgot most of what made me who I am. I don't want to forget my human life."

"Forget. Forget all of that poison. We'll help you forget about her evil. There's no way she can follow you to our clan."

"I don't want to forget who I am."

"You won't." Tzmukan assured Atan'eko, "You're not that person anymore. You are Atan'eko: na'vi child. You are no longer Tawtute man: sky male."

"It's like listening to a five year old sometimes." Atan'eko grumbled.

"At least I'm more mature than the sky people." Tzmukan countered, "I don't try to take what isn't mine by force. I don't destroy everything in sight just because it's easy. How are the Tawtute not all dead?"

"It's a real mystery." Atan'eko sighed, "Where's mom?"

"I don't know for sure." Tzmukan admitted, "Knowing her, she's probably with the people who make the leather things. Our home is rainy and out in the open, so you'll need some waterproof clothes."

"I've never been a real fan of leather."

"We need to establish some rules." Tzmukan told Atan'eko, "First, if you only have Tawtute things to say, then you have nothing to say. Say only Na'vi things. Second, forget about your sky people life. Your life began when you entered your na'vi body. Everything else before that, you need to forget."

"It's definitely like listening to a five year old."

"I mean everything." Tzmukan continued, "Third rule is you need to respect your parents. Fourth rule, remember your true origins. A tawtute mistake didn't put you in this body permanently, Eywa did. Punishment will involve corporal punishment."

"Listening to you is making me head hurt." Atan'eko complained, "I don't think you'll have to worry about the 'forget everything' rule being broken. You can let me down now."

"But you're so cute. I've always wanted to be a father. I can teach you how to hunt and fish. When you're old enough, I'll teach you the finer points on how to attract a female."

"Seriously, let me down." Atan'eko told Tzmukan, "Just because I'm a child again doesn't mean I can't stand. You've already seen me walk."

"I'll hold you for as long as I want." Tzmukan growled, "Besides, shouldn't you be more worried about that evil woman?"

Atan'eko opened his mouth to yell at Tzmukan, but was silenced when the memories flooded his mind. Instead, he began crying.

"I'm sorry." Tzmukan apologized, "Don't worry. Daddy's here."

"I shouldn't even be crying." Atan'eko told Tzmukan, "I've already grown up once. I shouldn't be crying like a baby over what happened years ago."

"But you are a baby." Tzmukan argued, "Your mind may have been older once, but it's young again. You shouldn't worry about crying over something so horrible."

"I figured my body is at least past the toddler stage…"

"It's not. Trust me. Na'vi children take a long time to grow up. The 'bond' part of the brain has to develop at the same time as the rest of the brain, slowing everything down."

"Did Grace teach you that?" Atan'eko asked.

"Yes." Tzmukan answered.

"How long is it going to take me to grow up?"

"I'd say about twenty-five, maybe thirty more rainy seasons, if we go by the counting system you're familiar with... I think. I was never good at sky math. Mathing is hard sometimes."

"But your years are longer than earth's!"

"Most of that time, you'll have few privileges." Tzmukan added, "Your mother and I will dictate most aspects of your life. Your role will be determined by the clan's needs, as determined by Eywa. If we need another warrior, you'll be aggressive and be trained to fight with skill and honor. If we need another singer, you'll have a beautiful voice that will bring to life the clan's many songs. If we need another maker of weapons, boats, or clothes, your hands will have a tendency to build and your heart will want you to create."

"I'm guessing the clan won't need another narrator." Atan'eko commented.

"We might need another story-teller. Don't be so quick to judge a clan's needs before you even meet the people."

"Definitely won't need another village idiot."

**********Hell's Gate**********

Ted sighed as he stared out the window. He had been assigned to a team that would be making contact with one of the clans in a few days. He had wanted to see the famed Omatikaya, but the higher-ups had refused to let him on that team. Suspicious. At least he wasn't assigned guard duty.

Why was he banned from the ole' blue flute clan? It's not that he minded being assigned somewhere else for… something. What was his job anyway? Was he a guard or a scientist? They really weren't clear on what he would be doing wherever he was going.

Mysteries aside, it was still better than guard duty. Sitting or standing in a disturbingly quiet spot. Just you, some guy, and your thoughts. Death waiting just a few yards away. It was the kind of boredom that would drive a guy mad. How could any man survive that with his sanity intact?

Then there was the escaped rogue avatar. Somewhere, lurking deep in the foliage, was a guy driven mad by his new body. Some drivers went insane just from the mere act of linking up for the first time. And that was just with a normal avatar. The poor sap as basically trapped in a child's body.

Some hypotheses floated around about what happened when an adult gets permanently transferred into a child avatar. One hypothesis stated that the young brain can't handle all that information and starts dumping whatever it feels it doesn't need. Another states that the sudden massive burst of information damages the avatar's brain, leading to serious mental disorders. Yet another hypothesis stated that he simply couldn't handle the body and was driven insane by the different brain.

Whatever the case, Ted did not envy the guy's situation. Well, he envied the freedom the avatar was probably enjoying right now. Running through the trees without all the OCD-level structure that dominated life in Hell's Gate. There was no paperwork or rigid, predetermined schedule in the jungle. It was just life in its simplest form. It was just live and die out there. It had to be heaven for those with bodies and minds equipped to handle the dangers.

"Enough daydreaming." he silently commanded himself. There was no point in worrying over something he couldn't control. He would be out there soon enough, flying in a chopper to some remote village. He would be seeing another culture firsthand soon enough. All he had to do was make it the next few days without driving himself crazy.

*****Hometree*****

As the Omatikaya settled down for the evening meal, Atan'eko let out a sigh of relief. For most of his visit so far, he had to deal with a lot of unwanted attention. It was made worse by the fact that he had to spend most of that time in Tzmukan's arms. The worst part was that every time someone asked about Atan'eko, Tzmukan would give that half-fabricated story. Atan'eko hated that story.

Atan'eko sat down between Tarya and Tzmukan and started eating his meal of Pandoran vegetables, "steak", and some form of larva. He ate quietly, which his "parents" found somewhat unusual.

"You're awfully quiet." Tzmukan told Atan'eko, "Is something upsetting you?"

"What do you think?" Atan'eko answered without any detectable emotion, "In just a few days, everything in my life has changed. I'm not human anymore."

"I'm not really convinced anymore that you were a sky person." Tarya told him, "You haven't attacked anyone or lit anything on fire. How do you know your Tawtute 'life' wasn't just some big lie they put in your head to make you more compliant?"

"That's a weird question to ask someone." Atan'eko commented, "It's a bit exis… it's scary, really. The idea that your life was just one big lie. The idea that your past never happened. How do you know any of this is really happening? What if all of this is just one big lie?"

"This conversation is scary." Tzmukan complained his mate and 'son', "Tarya, you need to stop scaring him with scary existential questions. It's as bad as when we scared him by bringing up that… person. You know who. The… woman. What happened to making his childhood as normal as possible? The Tawtute probably ask questions like that all the time. It's why they're messed up and like to destroy everything. We need to bring up a happy topic."

"I… acquired the leather." Tarya told Tzmukan, "It's treated and everything. All we need to do now is make his clothes."

"Is that where you've been?" Atan'eko asked.

"It's rainy in our territory." Tarya explained, "And there are few trees for cover. Just think of how much fun you'll have, though. There are plenty of children your age to play with."

"I'm not a child." Atan'eko growled, "I'm a grown man involuntarily trapped in a child's body."

"Don't make me punish you." Tarya growled in return, "The more I've thought about it, the more I'm convinced your sky person 'past' was just some lie fabricated by the Tawtute to make you more compliant. In reality, you're just a confused child of two dreamwalkers who are dead. They're dead. They're not coming back, so get used to your new life among the people."

"Why did you bring up his parents?" Tzmukan asked, angry at his mate, "Who cares? Do you want him to turn out like Qua'it?"

"Quawich." Tarya corrected, "I don't even live here and even I paid more attention to Toruk Makto's stories than you."

"That's not the point." Tzmukan snapped, "The point is we shouldn't reopen old wounds all the time. What we should be doing is being good parents."

"You're right." Tarya admitted, "We have a child now and another on the way and I keep on filling his head with disturbing ideas. I should be focused on raising and teaching him, not scarring him for life. I'm beginning to think I'm unfit for motherhood."

"Better late than never." Atan'eko thought to himself, "Doubt either of them are sane."

"You're not unfit." Tzmukan assured Tarya, "There's just a learning curve that all new parents go through. We all make mistakes and we all learn from them."

"Learning is hard." Tarya said, barely holding back her tears.

"Yes it is." Tzmukan agreed, "Learning is often hard."

"Other than the whole leather thing, how was your day?" Atan'eko asked Tarya.

"You were there." Tarya pointed out, "Surely a child as bright as you would remember how the day went."

"I just wanted to change the topic." Atan'eko admitted, "I had a feeling it was going to get weird pretty fast."

"Not as weird as Toruk Makto's stories." Tzmukan said joyfully, "He usually tells a story to the children after the evening meal."

"You're going to listen to tonight's story." Tarya added.

"I have heard from one of the warriors that Jake wants to meet Atan'eko." Tzmukan told Tarya, "It just had to wait since being Olo'eyktan is busy work."

"Why would Toruk Makto want to meet our son?" Tarya asked, "It's just that the Toruk Makto has been busy all day and it's such a big honor to meet the man who united the clans and drove off the destructive invaders."

"It's probably because I'm an avatar driver permanently transferred into a child's body." Atan'eko pointed out, "Maybe he's curious as to how the least competent scientists and engineers money could buy could accomplish what's supposed to take not just Eywa, but also an entire clan."

"We've been over this already." Tarya sighed, "You are not a dreamwalker in a fake body. You are just a baby dreamwalker."

"You are also our baby." Tzmukan added, "You are a good baby."

"You are a cute baby." Tarya added.

"We were better off with the other conversation." Atan'eko sighed, "How long am I going to have to put up with this?"

"Sounds like something has upset the baby." Tarya told Tzmukan.

"I'm sure Toruk Makto's story will cheer him up." Tzmukan assured her, "His stories are full of action and adventure. Sometimes he adds elements of love."

"Then we get some sleep." Tarya told him, "Babies, even babies his size, need to go to sleep early and they sleep best with their parents."

"I love it when you get parental." Tzmukan told her, "Tonight, we make Tsahaylu."

"That's… kinda creepy." Atan'eko told them.

"I guess the Tawtute poisoned your mind more than we thought." Tarya laughed, "There's nothing wrong with two mates sharing a bond. One day, you'll meet that special someone who you'll want to make Tsahaylu with and you'll understand that it's nothing creepy."

"The woman probably made Tsahaylu painful for him." Tzmukan told his mate, "Someone that sadistic would love nothing more than to make her victim associate Tsahaylu with pain."

"I don't even want to think about how she might have done it." Tarya said with disgust, "What if she really isn't done with him? Can we really keep him safe?"

"We'll protect him." Tzmukan assured Tarya, "It doesn't matter if we have to kill every sky person or dreamwalker that approaches him. Eywa won't let us fail. Not against something so terrible."

Atan'eko tried to ignore them as he finished his meal, but the pair moved uncomfortably close to him. He tried to get up, but Tarya pulled him back down.

"Don't try to leave Mommy and Daddy." Tarya warned, "Be a good baby and stay."

"Can you please just call me by my new name?" Atan'eko asked, "You're making me feel uncomfortable again."

"Is Baby Atan'eko still upset?" Tarya asked, "What's wrong? Is Baby Atan'eko sleepy?"

"How long am I stuck with you two?" Atan'eko demanded, "I don't trust his calculations."

"In the system your birth parents likely used, it's a bit tricky." Tarya answered, "Factor in the extra two digits… Convert to binary, then to Eight-Plus-Two… About thirty, give or take a few years. I always liked learning math."

"Mathing is power!" Tzmukan added excitedly, "The best part is you're never on your own like the Tawtute are. The clan is like one big family."

"Does that answer Baby Atan'eko's question?" Tarya asked Atan'eko, "Does Baby Atan'eko want to hear Toruk Makto's story time?"

"Can you at lease use second-person pronouns?" Atan'eko asked.

"Does Baby Atan'eko need a spanking?" Tarya warned, "Does Baby Atan'eko need Mommy and Daddy to remind him where his place is?"

"Fine." Atan'eko grumbled.

"Fine to letting us call you 'Baby Atan'eko' or fine to the spanking?" Tzmukan asked Atan'eko, "We're okay with it either way."

"This is getting way too uncomfortable for me." Atan'eko complained, "I'm done eating. Can I go now?"

"Stay with us, child." Tarya ordered, "We only had one day to enjoy you so far. Stay with us or we'll stick you in a baby carrier."

"Why didn't we stick him in one earlier?" Tzmukan asked, "He's not too big."

"We'll stick him in one when we leave." Tarya suggested.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Atan'eko asked the pair, "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."

"Babies are too small for that much independence, silly." Tarya told him, "Mommy and Daddy love you too much to risk losing you on the journey home. Besides, it's too much fun having you so close."

"Is he getting smaller?" Tzmukan wondered out loud, "He looks a little smaller."

"He's been raised by the Tawtute for how many years?" Tarya asked her mate, "It's probably just Eywa's way of giving him some more time to get cleansed of the Tawtute mind poison."

"This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" Atan'eko asked sarcastically.

"It does." Tarya agreed, "It means you'll be our baby longer."

"I think our baby wants to hear Toruk Makto's story." Tzmukan told his mate.

"I think you're right." Tarya replied, "For someone who's going to be living so far from the Omatikaya, meeting the Toruk Makto is a rare treat."

Atan'eko let out a sigh of relief as the three of them left the meal area.

"I hope you know how to behave around Toruk Makto." Tarya told Atan'eko.

"I know the drill." Atan'eko sighed, "When the guy starts talking, I shut up and listen."

"That's a good boy." Tzmukan told him, "Though I wouldn't have worded it in such a Tawtute way."

"It's a habit." Atan'eko told him.

"He's about to start." Tarya said excitedly, "Do you want me to hold you, Baby Atan'eko?"

"No thanks." Atan'eko told her, "I want to hold onto whatever dignity I have left."

"The correct answer is 'yes Mommy'." Tarya told him, "Unless you want Daddy to hold you."

"I don't have a say in this, do I?" Atan'eko asked her.

Tarya picked him up, silently answering his question. Despite his struggles, she effortlessly held him close to her. The hypnotically soothing sound of her heartbeat calmed Atan'eko down.

"That's a good baby." Tarya told him.

The three of them waited patiently with the other parents and children. It wasn't long before Jake Sully, the famed Toruk Makto, appeared. Jake smiled at the small crowd before turning his attention to Atan'eko.

"So, this is the little dreamwalker I've been hearing about." Jake said.

"It's an honor meeting you, sir." Atan'eko nervously told Jake, "It's not everyday one meets the guy who could tame the biggest beast in the air and send the RDA packing."

"Your body is a little small for an avatar." Jake commented.

"He's a baby dreamwalker." Tarya told Jake proudly, "Eywa led us directly to him."

"Makes sense… I guess." Jake said, "What's the little guy's name?"

"Atan'eko." Tarya answered, "We're still trying to help him overcome the more harmful Tawtute influences."

"It's been nice meeting you, Atan'eko." Jake told the smaller avatar, "I hope you enjoy the story of the Time of Great Sorrow."

Atan'eko's interest in Jake's story grew. He had heard various accounts of the RDA's first colonization attempt and was curious as to what the Na'vi version was.

"It started many years ago." Jake began as the entire group paid close attention, "People on a distant world built giant metal vessels that allowed them to travel among the stars. Some traveled the stars to learn while others sought only to take what they could find. Because they traveled in the sky, we call them Tawtute."

The children were fascinated by the account. Jake paused for a moment before continuing.

"Now, Tawtute were small and weak, but had machines and weapons that could cause much destruction. The first Tawtute came here to learn because they were fascinated by the idea of people on a different world. They wondered what the Na'vi ate, how they talked, what they did, and many other questions. Those curious Tawtute were called 'scientists'. Their job, their purpose in life was to learn so they could teach others. And there was peace between the scientists and the Na'vi. "

Quite a few of the children and parents could relate with the Tawtute curiosity. It wasn't uncommon for some of the Na'vi to speculate what the Tawtute world was like. Rumors spread about human clans in trees made out of the metals the Tawtute were quite fond of. Perhaps they had to tame kunsips as a rite of passage. Maybe all their animals were made of metal. Jake had tried in the past to answer their questions, but that only made them even more curious. Jake thought for a moment about how he should phrase the rest of the story.

"But the peace did not last." Jake continued, waiting a moment for that last line to sink into their heads, "It was discovered that there was a special rock here that they found really useful. A lot of their machines depended on that rock. The second group of Tawtute came here just for that rock. They were selfish and wanted those rocks for themselves. They knocked down trees and killed any Na'vi that dared get in their way. They brought with them warriors that fought if they were promised nice things and warriors that fought because they liked fighting."

A lot of his audience had a hard time comprehending that last part. Nobody really liked fighting. They liked sparring, but the brutal warfare associated with the Tawtute warriors was something the Na'vi preferred to avoid.

"I was among the warriors they brought." Jake told his audience, "My Tawtute body was injured in one of their many wars and my legs couldn't walk anymore. They promised me they'd fix my legs if I came here and fought for them. I was given a dreamwalker body and told to learn as much about the Na'vi as I could. They used what I learned to destroy the Omatikaya's previous hometree. I knew I had to stop them, but I was banished from the clan because I was responsible for the hometree's destruction. That's when I realized what I had to do."

Jake paused for a moment, partially consumed by lingering guilt, before continuing.

"I couldn't go back to the Tawtute after what they had done and I was banished from the Omatikaya. So I flew on my Ikran and found the Toruk. I jumped on the Toruk's back and managed to tame him after a brief struggle. Now, as the newest Toruk Makto, I was able to return to the Omatikaya. We rallied the other clans together and prepared for the upcoming battle. Now, at the same time, the Tawtute planned to destroy the Tree of Souls. When they left their base with their finest fire weapons, we attacked. We lost most of our warriors, but the Tawtute were forced to leave and the Tree of Souls was unharmed. With the Tawtute gone, the Time of Great Sorrow was over and the Omatikaya soon found a new home."

The audience, especially the children, seemed pleased with the ending. Atan'eko would have preferred more details were given, but his curiosity was satisfied for the most part.

"Did you like the story, child?" Tzmukan asked Atan'eko, "All of that really happened."

"I know." Atan'eko sighed.

"Is Baby sleepy?" Tarya asked.

"Do you have to call me 'Baby'?" Atan'eko asked, "It's embarrassing."

"Yes, I do have to call you 'Baby'." Tarya answered matter-of-factly, "You'll understand when you have offspring of your own. You'll just want to cradle that sleepy child in your arms all night long, even when he's complaining about it. In fact, that embarrassed look on his face just makes him look cuter."

"Let's get some sleep." Tzmukan suggested, "He's probably just tired from the long day we had."

Tarya nodded, carrying Atan'eko to their family-sized hammock. The three of them crawled inside before Tarya sealed their cocoon-like hammock. The couple quickly linked their queues, flooding their brains with erotic bliss. Atan'eko struggled in vain to escape before he finally fell asleep. They all slept soundly.


	5. Chapter 5

The trio awoke early the next morning. While Tarya and Tzmukan felt refreshed and full of energy, Atan'eko was still tired.

"What's wrong, Atan'eko?" Tzmukan asked, concerned, "Are you still tired?"

"I shouldn't be this tired." Atan'eko muttered, "I used to be a morning person."

"Babies are supposed to sleep a lot." Tarya explained, "Despite whatever craziness the Tawtute tried to put in your head, babies your age are supposed to spend more time sleeping. I'm surprised we haven't had to chew your food for you."

"It's not too late to start." Tzmukan suggested, "It's supposed to be a good way for parent and child to bond."

"Now you're just making things up." Atan'eko grumbled, "I don't need you to chew my food for me and I don't need to sleep all freak'n day."

"Poor, misguided baby." Tarya said in a concerned tone, "The longer you stay away from those wacky sky people, the better. They've been filling your head with crazy ideas for who knows how long."

"Let's get some breakfast." Tzmukan suggested, "We have a lot of traveling to do today."

Tarya nodded and the three of them left for breakfast. On the way, they stopped by the leather workers to pick up a baby carrier Tarya requested. Tzmukan put it on before placing Atan'eko inside.

"This is so embarrassing." Atan'eko complained, "I was a grown man. I shouldn't have to put up with this shit."

Tarya gave Atan'eko's butt a quick smack, making him cry out.

"I warned you how many times." she told Atan'eko sternly, "Talking like that will convince them you really are a Tawtute and then they'll return you to that evil woman. You were never Tawtute. Tawtutes don't dreamwalk in baby bodies. They dreamwalk in grown up bodies. Baby dreamwalkers only appear after a sa'nu dreamwalker and a sempu dreamwalker love each other very much and share that love with each other in the forest… or in a cave. Maybe they love each other very much in a metal cave. Dreamwalkers love metal."

"Are you the clan 'nature host'?" Atan'eko asked.

"That was just a warning shot." Tarya warned, "Push your luck again and you won't be able to sit down again until you have offspring of your own."

Atan'eko wisely kept his mouth shut. After a quick breakfast, they packed up their few possessions and a few days' worth of food. As they were leaving the hometree, a small crowd of Na'vi gathered to see the 'baby dreamwalker', including Jake.

"It was an honor meeting you, sir." Atan'eko told him.

"Just call me Jake." Jake insisted, "The formal stuff gets old after awhile. I'm still trying to understand how this happened. Avatars are supposed to be sterile and there's no practical reason to make a small one in a jar."

"Murphy's Law, I guess." Atan'eko shrugged, "Oh, the guys back at the colony will probably come here to look for me. I thought I saw someone bad from my childhood, so I sort of panicked and ran off."

"And you want me to keep my mouth shut." Jake guessed, "I understand. You're small, you're vulnerable, and you're afraid they'll dissect you if they ever caught you. I'll have the Omatikaya keep quiet about your visit. They won't disappoint their Olo'eyktan and Toruk Makto, especially if a child's safety is at risk."

"Thank you." Atan'eko said, "I owe you one."

"You can repay me by staying safe and not getting yourself killed out there." Jake told Atan'eko, "Maybe we'll meet again someday. Bye."

"Bye."

Atan'eko waved as they left on a pair of pali, momentarily forgetting how embarrassed he was to be seen in a baby carrier.

"See, it's not so bad." Tzmukan told Atan'eko, "Being carried around in a baby carrier. Growing closer to your parents. Just go back to sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Tzmukan's steady heartbeat lulled Atan'eko to sleep. He had a short dream where he was playing with Tzmukan in a field by the sea. Though it was bright out, it was raining. They were each wearing leather clothes consisting of a skirt and a hooded cloak. They were playing catch with a stuffed leather ball and he was happy. For the first time in years, he felt truly loved and happy.

Atan'eko awoke as the parents got off their pali to stretch and eat a small meal. Tarya pulled him out of the baby carrier and put him on the ground. They stretched and ate before Atan'eko was placed back in the baby carrier and the parents got back on their pali to continue their journey.

Atan'eko thought about the dream. He had heard that Eywa somehow influenced dreams, but he had dismissed the idea until now. Did she really plant that dream in his head? If she did, maybe she really did want him to have a normal childhood. Maybe she has a plan for him. Were humans influenced by Eywa too or just Na'vi and avatars?

Atan'eko wondered if Jake had gone through the same thing. What if his defection was caused not by his desire to right some sort of wrong or falling in love with the moon, but by Eywa influencing his avatar's mind. The thoughts made his head hurt, so he decided to focus on something simpler.

"Did you have a good dream, little one?" Tzmukan asked when he noticed Atan'eko was awake.

"Pretty much." Atan'eko answered, "It was the first dream in years where I felt happy. Usually, they're nightmares."

"That's a shame." Tzmukan told him, "Nightmares should be rare, not something you have every night. What did you dream about?"

"You and I were playing in a field." Atan'eko told him, "It was by the sea and it was raining. How long is it going to take to get home?"

"If we don't stop for the night, we should get there before the sun rises tomorrow." Tzmukan told him, "Hopefully, we'll find some fresh pali before these get too exhausted."

"Did I really get smaller?" Atan'eko asked, "I know it's a weird topic to bring up suddenly, but it's making me worry."

"Yes." Tzmukan answered honestly, "You look about a year or two younger. Don't worry. Eywa won't let you keep getting younger until you're gone."

"Stupid faulty avatar." Atan'eko grumbled, "I've already lost so much knowledge. I don't want to be dumb."

"You aren't going to be dumb." Tzmukan assured Atan'eko, "Even if you do get a little dumb, you will still be a part of the clan. We'll still love you and you will still be able to contribute to the clan."

"It still doesn't fix everything." Atan'eko complained, "I'm trapped in a faulty body and am being hunted down by my former people. Who knows what other problems this body is going to have?"

"Worry starved the palulukan." Tzmukan told Atan'eko, "Just relax."

"I can't." Atan'eko told him, "I spent years learning everything I'm now forgetting. Everything that made me who I am is disappearing. I'll have to adapt to a new way of life, a new way of thinking. I'm basically turning into someone else and it's scary. Plus, I think I'm shrinking."

"Your body is just settling." Tzmukan corrected.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Atan'eko sighed.

"How do dreamwalkers feed their young?" Tzmukan asked, "Tarya says the parents digest the food before throwing it up into their child's mouth. I say their Tawtute blood takes over and makes the mother produce nutrient-rich secretions from glands on their chest."

"Why would you ask that?" Atan'eko asked, "It's just… why? It's random and just… why?"

"You're too young to adapt as well as Jake did. So, Eywa's making you younger so you can better overcome the Tawtute insanity. It's important we feed you right so you grow up big and strong and not insane."

"I'm pretty sure I can chew my own food." Atan'eko insisted.

"But can your baby dreamwalker body digest it?" Tzmukan asked, "Living in a clan that's had lots of contact with the Tawtute, I've learned some things, like how poop is made. What if baby dreamwalkers don't yet have the tiny things in their gut that help them digest? What if eating pre-chewed food is the natural way they get those tiny things in their guts? Don't you want proper digestion?"

"I don't think that's how…"

"The tiny things are very important." interrupted Tzmukan, "They'll help you grow up big and strong like sempu."

"You're not chewing my food." Atan'eko insisted.

"Whatever." Tzmukan sighed, "First sign of digestive trouble and I'm chewing your food like a Tawtute."

"They don't chew their offspring's food either."

"It's safe to say I have enough experience with the Tawtute to have a basic understanding of how they take care of their young. You're just a baby dreamwalker."

"Why do I keep forgetting who I am talking to?" Atan'eko sighed.

The trio rode for most of the day in relative quiet. Eventually, Atan'eko fell asleep.

"I like it when he's not complaining." Tzmukan observed, "Do you think he inherited complaining from the Tawtute part of his dreamwalker blood?"

"I wouldn't be surprised." Tarya replied, "Creatures that small would have a lot to complain about. It's probably why so many are insane."

"Soooo… do you want to chew his food or should I?"

"It should cut down on his complaining." Tarya answered, "Do Tawtutes really chew food for their young?"

"The males do." Tzmukan answered, "Females have large chest glands that produce liquid food for their young."

"That would explain the female dreamwalkers." Tarya observed, "How can someone as dumb as you be so smart? You're my favorite contradiction."

"You were smart and beautiful yesterday and smart and beautiful today. You're my favorite consistency."

"Just for that, we'll hand him over to the child watchers for the day so I can give you something nice."

"Maybe I should return the favor."

"We'll be making Tsahaylu, Tzmukan. Plus, you were always easier to please than me."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult." Tzmukan frowned, "Are you saying I can't please you?"

"Just shut up and look pretty." Tarya commanded.

Atan'eko woke up about an hour later.

"What time is it?" Atan'eko asked as he stretched out his arms and legs.

"Do we look like Tawtute?" Tarya asked, "You still have much to learn, child."

"Why couldn't I have stayed home?" Atan'eko asked himself.

"You'll like your new home better." Tzmukan assured him, "There are relatively few predators and practically no palulukans."

The trio rode in peace for another few hours before they reached a small na'vi settlement.

"Where are we?" Atan'eko asked.

"This is a small settlement where travelers can rest for the night." Tzmukan told him.

"Don't wander off." Tzmukan warned as he removed Atan'eko from the baby carrier, "It's dangerous out there and you might run into a nantang pack."

Tarya removed some leather, a needle, and a sharp blade from her pack and got to work. Occasionally, she'd stop to take a measurement from Atan'eko using a long, thin strip of leather.

"What are you making?" Atan'eko asked.

"Clothes for you." She answered matter-of-factly, "You'll need to dress like one of the people."

Tzmukan handed Atan'eko a fruit and some preserved meat and watched him eat.

"Do you have to watch?" Atan'eko asked, annoyed.

"First sign of digestive trouble, I'm chewing your food." Tzmukan warned.

"Thanks, doc." Atan'eko said sarcastically, "Seriously, though. That won't be necessary. I have teeth. I can chew my own food."

"Keep in mind I am your sempu." Tzmukan pointed out, "It's my job to keep you healthy until you're old enough to take care of yourself. That means that as long as you're still small, you have to listen."

Atan'eko finished eating and let out a yawn.

"Did I tell you how much I hate this body?" Atan'eko sighed. Tzmukan happily led him to a sleeping pallet. An hour later, Tarya joined the pair. Together, they slept peacefully.

-Morning-

The trio woke up early in the morning. They ate their breakfast and relaxed for a bit before Tarya broke the silence.

"How was your sleep, Atan'eko?" Tarya asked.

"Okay, I guess." Atan'eko answered, "I dreamt Tzmukan…"

"Sempu." Tarya corrected, "Call him 'sempu'".

"I dreamt sempu made me eat food he already chewed like we were birds." Atan'eko, "It wasn't a bad dream. It was just weird. How much further is my new home?"

"A few hours." Tarya told him, "Today, you ride with sa'nu."

"Great." Atan'eko said sarcastically.

"I also made you some new clothes." Tarya added, "We should probably get going."

Tarya put on the baby carrier and then placed Atan'eko in it.

"I think you stopped getting smaller." Tarya commented, "I'm looking forward to watching you grow up."

"I guess that's good news." Atan'eko sighed, "Could have done without the shrinking in the first place."

The journey was mostly quiet. Atan'eko enjoyed watching the scenery change from forest to grassy to rocky. Tarya would occasionally point out a plant or animal that couldn't be found in the forest, much to Atan'eko's annoyance. Eventually, the air grew cold and wet. Tarya and Tzmukan soon stopped and dismounted from their pa'lis.

"Why are we stopping?" Atan'eko asked.

Tarya removed Atan'eko from the baby carrier.

"You need to dress more appropriately." Tarya said as she undressed Atan'eko. Afterwards, she slipped a hooded tunic onto Atan'eko. It had a slightly loose fit.

"You look so cute." Tarya cooed. They waited as Tzmukan hid behind a large boulder to change into his hooded tunic and boots. After he returned, Tarya did the same. Tarya then put the baby carrier back on and put Atan'eko back in it. They then got back on the palis and continued on their journey. A few hours later, they reached the coastal village.

"Here we are." Tarya announced, "Your new home."

Atan'eko looked around as Tarya and Tzmukan got off their palis. The village consisted of a few large stone structures and many small huts made of wood and water-proof hide. A few miles out to sea, Atan'eko could see a few boats.

As they walked into the village, they were greeted by curious Na'vi. They were all wearing hooded tunics and boots along with the occasional piece of jewelry. Eventually, they reached the hut where the couple lived.

"Here's where we sleep and stay when a storm comes." Tarya said as she pulled Atan'eko out of the baby carrier, "Is baby Atan'eko sleepy?"

Atan'eko didn't want to admit it, but he was tired from the trip and from the fact his new body demanded lots of sleep.

"Sleep with sa'nu." Tarya said as she placed Atan'eko in the hammock before crawling inside herself. Unlike the forest clans' plant-based hammocks, coastal hammocks were made of much thicker leather to protect occupants from the freezing nights. Tarya closed the hammock, sealing them in a warm, dark cocoon.

"Do you have to be in here with me?" Atan'eko asked.

"Yes, 'itan." Tarya told him, "Babies need sa'nu or sempu to sleep."

Atan'eko wanted to tell her he wasn't a baby, but all that came out was a yawn. Atan'eko silently cursed as he drifted to sleep.

He dreamt he was an adult again. He was alone in a barren field with only a handful of boulders to break the monotony. As he walked, he grew shorter and shorter until he was shorter than the smaller boulders. Just as he stops shrinking, he's picked up by Tarya. By now, he's a na'vi child.

Tarya dreamt she was watching Atan'eko grow up. He grew from a confused child to a confident fisherman. He was accompanied by a na'vi woman, no doubt his mate, and several children, his children.

Atan'eko woke up to find himself trapped in Tarya's arms. His struggle to escape woke up Tarya.

"Did you enjoy your nap?" Tarya asked as she opened up the hammock.

"I dreamt I was shrinking." Atan'eko grumbled.

"I guess it's time for you to make some friends." Tarya told him with a smile. After she got out, she helped him out of the hammock. She grabbed his hand and led him to an area in the village where the younger children liked to play. Most of the children were playing a game with a rubber ball, no doubt imported from a clan that had contact with the human colonists. A few were sword fighting with sticks. Atan'eko reluctantly approached the children, a few of whom were taller than him.

"You're new here." a girl told him, "What's your name?"

"Atan'eko."

"My name is Alyara." the girl responded, "Where are you from?"

"I'm from a far away place." Atan'eko answered.

"Do you want to play with me?" Alyara asked.

"I guess." Atan'eko replied, "What should we play?"

"We could toss a ball back and forth, maybe kick it." Alyara offered, "The others don't like playing with me too much, so I don't know too many games."

"I know that feeling." Atan'eko sighed, "I wasn't the most popular guy back home. I guess I was too different."

"I'm different too, but I don't feel comfortable saying why." Alyara told him almost reluctantly.

"Let's go play." Atan'eko suggested, sensing Alyara's unease.

Tarya stood with a few of the other parents and watched Atan'eko play an improvised game with Alyara. She was unsure of how the clan would react to a dreamwalker, even if he was a child, but was relieved when he quickly found someone to play with.

"Where did you find him?" A woman asked Tarya.

"Forest." Tarya answered, "His parents are dead and he was hiding from the Tawtute."

"You're lucky few clan members have any experience with the Tawtute." the woman told her, "Though people are going to question why the orphan's clan didn't take him in."

"You're over thinking things, Ni'awtu." Tarya told her, "Maybe his birth parents were outcasts or their clan met with sudden famine and the parents had to leave to avoid starvation."

"I just hope you didn't kill the dreamwalker parents." Ni'awtu told her.

"We didn't." Tarya assured her, "Your 'ite likes my 'itan."

"They're both outsiders in a way." Ni'awtu explained, "She was born with that condition. He clearly has a little vrrtep blood in his body, unless Na'vi are starting to sprout extra fingers."

"Have you seen Tzmukan?" Tarya asked.

"He's helping repair a boat." Ni'awtu told her.

"Figures." Tarya sighed, "Looks like my 'itan is growing popular with the others."

The two mothers watched as Atan'eko and Alyara's game was interrupted by curious Na'vi children.

"You're new here." a boy told Atan'eko, "What's your name?"

"Where are you from?" another asked, "Why are you playing with her?"

"She's nice." Atan'eko told him.

"She's weird." the first boy countered.

"I've seen weird people." Atan'eko told him, "Compared to them, Alyara is completely normal."

"Your loss." the first boy spat. He and the second boy left while the other children watched Atan'eko and Alyara play. The children eventually returned to their own games.


End file.
